Credit: africom.mil / (from left) U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, Larry André, met with Ismail Omar Guelleh, president of the Republic of Djibouti, and other senior leaders of the East Africa nation in early June.  During the visit Townsend recognized Djibouti’s successful COVID-19 response and congratulated President Guelleh for his nation’s feat in containing the pandemic spread.  

DIPLOMATIC TIMES  STAFF

U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, met with Ismail Omar Guelleh, president of the Republic of Djibouti, and other senior leaders of the East African nation this week. This was Townsend’s first trip abroad since the coronavirus pandemic unfolded. Djibouti has about 1,800 troops serving in Somalia as part of AMISOM. 

“Djibouti is a key partner, and we continue to work to strengthen our enduring partnership,” said Townsend. “Alongside other AMISOM partners, Djiboutian forces have shown their leadership by supporting the fight against al-Shabaab in Somalia.” 

-U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command

Townsend recognized Djibouti’s successful COVID-19 response and congratulated President Guelleh for his nation’s feat in containing the pandemic spread.  “Djibouti’s effective response to the COVID pandemic is a model for other nations, particularly in Africa,” said Townsend.  “We are looking to help our Djiboutian partners by delivering critically needed medical equipment and supplies.”    Djiboutian leaders thanked U.S. Africa Command leadership for the continued training and equipping of the Rapid Intervention Battalion. The RIB is the Djiboutian army’s elite military force, which the U.S. is in the process of training and equipping at the request of the Djiboutian government. 

Credit: africom.mil / (U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, and Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) meet with U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, Larry André, Djibouti Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and others at headquarters Chief of Staff of Djibouti Armed Forces (FAD), at Camp Lemonnier (CLDJ), Djibouti, June 8, 2020. 

Credit: africom.mil / (U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, and Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) meet with U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, Larry André, Djibouti Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and others at headquarters Chief of Staff of Djibouti Armed Forces (FAD), at Camp Lemonnier (CLDJ), Djibouti, June 8, 2020. 

Several U.S. leaders also took part in the roundtable, including U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti, Larry E. André; U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Lapthe C. Flora, commander of CJTF-HOA; and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Damian T. Donahoe, deputy commander of CJTF-HOA.    While in Djibouti, Townsend also met with service members from CJTF-HOA’s East Africa Response Force. The EARF provides a combat-ready rapid deployment capability to support crises operations in the U.S. Africa Command Area of Responsibility.